Folding tent.



D. NETTENSTROM.

FOLDING TENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3|. 19H.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

n. NEIIENSIRoI/I.

FOLDING TENT.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.3I. I9II.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

QNNI NNN! MNI V:DAVID-NIETTENS'LROLVL 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING TENT.l

, Specication of Letters Patent.

v1 atentef1 Mar. 2o, 1917.

Application filed August 31, 1911. Serial No. 646,979.

To ali whom zt-may concern! Be it known that I, DAVID NETTENsTRoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andV State of Illinoisyhave invented new and useful 'Improvements in Folding Tents, of which the following is a specification, reference lbeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.v i i The purpose of this invention is to provide in combination, a tent frame and covering therefor adapted to be readily folded into a small parcel for ease of transportation or convenience of storage. It consists of the featuresand elements described and shown in the drawings as indicated in the claims. f Y.

In the drawings l Figure l is a medial section of a tent havingv the frame embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagra-lmnatic view of the frame in folded position.

Fig43 is a detail plan view of one member of the pivot block,2. v

Fig. 4 is a section taken as indicated at line 4 4 on Fig.^3. Y

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the cover plate of the pivot block, 2.l

Fig. 6 is a medial section of a tent having the end framing constructed similar to that shown in Fig. 1, such framing being connected by a special formrof folding ridge pole truss.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken asindicated at line 7-7 on Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view indicating,

the arrangement in -folded position of the frame in Fig. 6. v Y Fig. 9 is a` detailplan view of the locking means of the folding member of the ridge pole truss. Fig. 10 is a detail section taken as indicated at line lOlO on Fig; l9.V v Y .This invention is applicable to any form of tent in which a vertical pole or post is ordinarily employed` for supporting thepeak or ridgepoleof the tent,the frame shown in the ldrawings being intended Vas a substitute for such vvertical supporting pole,

and having two advantagesl `over the latter,

namely, that itgleaves the entire floor space clear of polesy and that it can be folded into a shorter parcel than a single unitary'pole.

As' illustrated` in Figs. 1 to 5, the frame is applied to atent made in the form o f a regular heXagon with a pyramidal roof, but it may be understood that the particular features of the construction are equally applicable to'many other forms of tents, including both those which are formed regularly about a vertical axis', as is the first form illustrated and thosev employinga ridge pole, such as for example, the familiar wall tent.

The frame comprises a central vertical rod, l, carrying fittings, 2, 3 and 4, to which are connected the members of a plurality of trusses, corresponding in number tothe several faces of the tent roof, and 'each carrying at its extremity a supportingpole, 5.

Each truss consists of 'a rafter, 6, pivoted atk one end in the block, 2, a strut, 7 pivotally' connecting the block, 3, with a point somewhere near the middle of the rafter, 6, and a tension member or stretcher 8, pivoted between the block,"4, and the end of the rafter, 6.

`The construction of the central fittings 2, 3 and 4 is indicated in Fig.y 3, which shows the preferred form as consisting of a circular-disk axially apertured at, a, to admit the rod, l, and formed with a series of radial recesses, each dimensioned to receive the end of one of the truss members indicated in Fig. 3 asrtheV rafters, 6. Between each pair of recesses, b, the disk has-formed on one face a pair of lugs, c, c, which serve to position a hoop of-heavy wire, d, Vupon which the several truss members, `6, are pivoted. Y A cover plate, e, which is shown in Fig. 4, provided with corresponding downwardly eX- Y tending lugs, f, dimensioned to t between Vthe lugs, c, @,for holding the hoop, d, 'in

place, is clamped in position by a pair `of retaining bolts, g, g, and completes the fitting. The fitting, 2, is rigidly secured to the upper end of the rod,1,by a nut, la, screwed down upon the reduced-end of the rod, but thettings 3 and 4, are slidable along the rod, being only retained against escapingl from it Lbymeans of a terminal flange, 1b, Vat the lowerend. v n

TheV bracket, 9, at the lowerv end of each rafter, 6, in addition to securing the end of the member, 8, is provided with a hinge,r9l,

by which the post, V5, isgconnected to 'the rafter, 6. Now, when it is desired to take down the tent and fold up the frame for transporting or storing it, the canvas covering, 10, having been first removed, and rolled or folded in any desired manner, the posts, 5, may each be swung about their hinges,.9a, to positions parallel to their respective rafters, 6; then if the central fittings, 3 and ,wbe pushed along the rod,'1, toward the fitting, 2, all the frame members will assume positions parallel to the rod, 1, as indicated in Fig. 2. 1t will be understood, that in passing through the horizontal position each of the struts, 7, will tend to bow outwardly its corresponding rafter, 6, but that as the block, 3, rises above this position the rafter, 6, will be allowed to resume its normal form, and the frame can be easily folded up. l For opening out the frame, the reverse of the above operation will be employed, and when the central fitting, 3,- has reached its lowest position, as shown in Fig. 1, the resistance of the rafters, 6, to bending will operate to retain the fitting, 3, in this position and hold the frame open.

ln combination with the above described frame there is shown in Fig. 6, a folding truss which may be substituted for a ridge pole in any form of tent in which such a member would ordinarily be employed. This truss as shown, consists of two panels connected endto end to a vertical strut rod, 11, which may carry triangular frames similar to those shown in Fig. 1, grouped around the rod, 1, such frames extending to either s-ide of the ridge pole and terminating in supporting posts, 5, as indicated in Fig. 7. Each panel of the ridge pole truss consists of a ridge pole,'12, which is a compression member, and tension cord, 13, and two flexible diagonal ties, 14.

Figs. 9 and 10 indicate the construction of the member, 12, which comprises two parts, 12a and 12b, pivotally connected side by side, the part, 12a, extending beyond theY pivot point for some distance, and a ferrule, 15, slidably carried on the member, 12", being adapted to prevent bucklingof the element, 12, when in use, by being positioned to embrace also the xtending end of the member, 12a. For closing up the ridge pole panel it is then only ynecessary to slip the ferrule, 15, off from the endof the part, 12a, so as to permitV the member, 12, to be folded downwardly, as shown in Fig. 8; the strut, 11, will then approach the rod, 1, and may be disposed parallelV to it, while the cords, 13r Y and 14, will be easily accommodated in the spaces between the various parts of the structure when folded. Both panels ofthe truss being closed, the end portions of the frame may be brought together to form a comparatively compact package, whose length will be that of the rafters, 6, as may be noted by reference toFig. 8.

I claim 1. A folding tent frame comprising a central fitting and rafters pivotally connected thereto extending outwardly and downward therefrom, a second central fitting and stretchers pivotally connected thereto at one end extending outwardly therefrom and having their opposite ends hinged to the respective rafters, athird central fitting positioned above the second and struts pivotally connected thereto at one end extending outwardly and upward therefrom and having their opposite ends hinged to the respective rafters, whereby said third fitting opposes movement of the second fitting toward the first, the length of each strut between pivot centers being less than the distance between its hinged connection with the rafter and the pivotal connection. of such rafter with the rst fitting, so that said frame may be collapsed by folding the struts and stretchers upwardly toward said first central fitting.

2. A folding tent frame comprising a central fitting and rafters pivotally connected.

thereto extending outwardly and downward therefrom, a second central fitting and stretcher-s pivotally connected thereto at one end extending outwardly and downward therefrom and having their opposite ends hinged to the respective rafters, means limiting the unfolding of said stretchers at such.

downwardly inclined position, and struts hinged to the respective rafters converging downwardly and arranged to react against the second fitting for opposing the collapse of the frame. V

8. A folding tent frame comprising two central fittings vertically separated when the frame is open, a stop which determines the limit of such separation and disengafgeable locking means for holding the parts at such limit, together with rafters and stretchers pivotally connected to the upper and lower central fittings respectively and all extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom, theouter end of each stretcher being hinged to one of the rafters at a plane considerably below the lower central fitting and its associated stop and locking means when said fitting is at the limit indicated.

4. A tent frame comprising a folding'truss panel having a pair of vertical strut rods, a

ing the upper ends of said rods; means on the jointed member adapted to prevent the closing of its joint; a tension member connecting the lower ends of the rods; diagonal ties joining the opposite corners of the quadrilateral thus formed; Va series of rafters, pivotallyconnected to the upper end of each of said rods; a block slidably mounted upon each rod; a series ofy struts each pivotallyconnected at one lend to the block and at the other end to a point on one ofthe rafters; a

stop on the loWer end of the rod adapted to In testimony whereof I have hereunto set limit the sliding movement of the block, the l my hand at Chicago, Ill. this 24th day of angle between the rod and the strut being August, 1911.

acute when the block is at such limit and a DAVID NETTENSTROM. tension member extending from the lower Witnesses:

portion of the rod to a second point on each ROBT. N. BURTON,

reiter. LUCY I. STONE.

Copies of this pate-nt maybe obtained for five cents each, Toy addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

